Lost In Paradise
by L. Jane Langner
Summary: Years since the greasers last seen each other since the terrible accident that tore them all apart. Now another terrible accident that brings two of them back together. Can forgiveness be found and friendship rebuilt?
1. Chapter 1

Each step was another heart beat. Each heart beat was another breath of air. Each breath of air was another step. Fifteen years ago he would have already been out the door. Fifteen years ago he wasn't very tough at situations like this. Fifteen years ago he was smart, and leaving was the smart option right now.

But a lot changes in fifteen years.

Just seeing the name on the form should have given him chills. But it didn't. With all the training and other bullshit, he had learned to become rather icy. Not emotionless, just icy.

Taking one last step in front of the hospital door. Taking one last look at the form. Sodapop Patrick Curtis. That was the name on his birth certificate. He knew that fact all too well. He kept his sunglasses on. Not really wanting to give off any way of being recognized, if possible.

Opening the door, he stepped in. Not surprised by the sight. Pretty banged up. Bruises around, one eye swollen shut, oxygen mask upon his face. Just not a pretty sight overall.

He walked over and gently shook Sodapop. There a quick flinch, and Sodapop opened his good eye. He reached up with a weak hand and removed the oxygen mask and breathed slowly on his own. "Hi detective," he whispered.

"Hello Mr. Curtis. Are you up for talking right now?" the detective asked messing with his sunglasses.

"Maybe a little," Soda responded with his eyes closed.

The detective nodded pulling out his little notepad and pen, "It would help to get the memories as clear as possible. But I will try to keep it quick for now."

"Fair enough," Soda shrugged.

"Why don't you just simply try telling me what happened last night," the detective said pulling up a chair and setting his notepad on his knee.

Soda opened his good eye and thought for a minute, "Well, I had left my apartment and was running errands all day."

"What errands?" the detective asked.

"The bank, the store for groceries and just housing supplies, the auto place to get my oil changed. Then I went out to dinner with work."

"You never went back to the apartment between these events?" the detective asked.

"No."

The detective got curious at this fact, "What all did you get at the grocery store?"

"Some soup, bread, a lot of boxed stuff. I knew I wouldn't be able to make it home with cold stuff before the dinner meeting," Soda pointed out.

The detective nodded, "Go on."

"Anyway," Soda swallowed hard, "I got home around ten thirty from dinner. I shut my door and suddenly it was dark. I had something around my eyes, I think it was his hand. I struggled to get loose, but he got me to the ground so quick and began hitting me. I kept trying to look at who it was, but I was also trying to block my face from getting hit. Not that it worked too well. I...I don't remember much else. I may have blacked out."

"You did," the detective replied, "A neighbor called the ambulance and they brought you here. You were kind of in and out of it the whole ride. You don't remember anything else? No details about the guy?"

Soda thought for a moment, "He was white. He wasn't that tall. I remember he was more big in muscles then in height. His torso just didn't seem to fit a tall type of guy."

"Nothing else?"

Soda shrugged, "I can't remember right now."

The detective sighed, "I'll ask one more thing then you can sleep."

"Okay," Soda responded.

"Do you know of anyone that would do this? A neighbor or roommate that's aggressive? An ex sending a new boyfriend at you? Someone at work? Just anybody?"

Soda shook his head, "All my neighbors are great. I haven't dated in quite awhile actually. I haven't gotten promotions, I ain't the boss' favorite, nothing like that. I'm not thinking straight though. I seriously can't think at all right now."

"I won't keep you any longer then," the detective stood up and pushed the chair back.

"Okay."

"I'll be back maybe tomorrow or the next day after I try to get a lead," the detective said leaving the room.

"Okay, thank you," Soda said as the door shut.

Back at the office, the detective went straight to his office and began thinking and writing places down to go look. There was a knock on the door.

"Hey," a partner named Jerry greeted, "How did it go?"

The detective shrugged, "Not much to begin with. Just the usual go look at his place, his work, and whatever else we can come up with."

Jerry nodded, "Want to go now?"

"Yeah, just give me a minute."

"Sure Pony. I'll be out waiting."


	2. Chapter 2

What a dead end. Soda's apartment showed no clues. A couple of things knocked over. Nothing stolen like the report said. It wasn't much to do with. "What should we do? Interview neighbors?" Jerry asked.

Pony shook his head, "I actually want to check out that place his work went to dinner. It's called 'The Lobby.' It's in Oklahoma City."

"That's almost a two hour drive," Jerry pointed out.

"Yeah," Pony said, "I realized that. And I kind of wonder why a work meeting would drive so far just for dinner. It is a restaurant on one side and on the other side a bar, and I would like to find out which area they sat in."

Two and a half hours and they were at The Lobby. It was an interesting restaurant. You walk in and it looks like a regular dining area. Pretty fancy. It must have been more of a dinner restaurant, as it was completely empty at one in the afternoon. You walk to the back and there is pool tables, some games, and the bar setting. Only a few high tables, but mostly bar stools going all around the long table up against the wall. There were a few people in there enjoying themselves for an early afternoon football game.

A waiter came out that served Sodapop's work. "Hello, I'm Detective Curtis. This is my partner, Jerry."

"Nice to meet you guys, I'm Kevin."

"We don't want to take too much of your time Kevin," Ponyboy said having his pen and paper ready, "First off, where did the work meeting sit at?"

"The restaurant area. They had that big table in the far corner. There was twelve of them I believe," Kevin explained.

"And was it a wild kind of meeting? Big drinking or pretty casual?" Ponyboy asked.

"They were all pretty casual. The majority of them left after dinner, but a few went to the bar for awhile too." Ponyboy pulled out a picture of Sodapop while Jerry went to look around the table and the area.

"Where was this man after dinner?"

Kevin looked for a few seconds, "He left. It was more of the older folks that went to the bar."

Ponyboy nodded, "Was this man acting odd in anyway? Or did anything catch your eye that focused on this man?"

Kevin shook his head, "Not that I can recall."

"Was there anything odd in the restaurant in general? Anybody maybe watching the work meeting or anything like that?"

Kevin shook his head again, "A lot of our business was in the bar. It wasn't that busy in here."

"Are you guys normally busy in here?"

"Well on the weekends we are busy all day long, from Friday night until Sunday night we can stay on our feet. But on a night like that one, we aren't too bad," Kevin explained.

"I see. Were you aware that this meeting was two hours away from where the business is located?" Ponyboy asked.

Kevin looked at him oddly, "I did not."

Ponyboy eyed him, "Does that seem odd to you? Such a far trip for a little business dinner?"

"It does, but I never know where people are coming from, so I don't know how often that actually happens."

"I suppose so," Ponyboy said, "So you have nothing to really report? Just a casual dinner, no suspicions, nothing?"

"Nothing I can think of. Just a regular night."

"Did anyone else wait on that table? I'm sure you needed extra hands to bring so much food out," Ponyboy pointed out.

"There was Janie. She is new, so she was actually running around tables with everyone."

"Is she here now?"

"Her shift starts at five tonight," Kevin said.

"And when do you get off?" Ponyboy asked.

"At seven."

Ponyboy nodded, "Alright, I'm sure I'll be back to interview her."

"Sounds good."

Ponyboy handed Kevin his card, "And if you think of anything else, give me a call."

The two detectives left. "So now what are we going to do until five?" Jerry asked.

Ponyboy looked out the window, "Maybe do some exploring."


End file.
